This time of year is an incredibly stressful time for parents whose children are due to start school in September and there are now only a couple of weeks left to get applications in.

Applications for primary school places must be in by January 15 and parents are rushing to fill out the forms in the best possible hope of getting their first choice of school for the child.

Parents of children born between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015 have until January 15, 2019 to apply for a primary school place for the academic year starting in September this year.

So what's the best way to get your four-year-old into the school which is going to get them the best possible start to their education?

You may have had the chance to visit your local options, during open days or otherwise, and weigh up the pros and cons and you can apply online through the council.

Ofsted reports are another way of leaning about the strengths and weaknesses of any school you are considering.

There are quite a few common mistakes which education officials see repeatedly. We have produced this helpful mythbuster.

Myth: If I got my application in as soon as I can after the application system was open I have more chance of getting a place.

Fact: All applications received by the deadline will be considered equally in the allocation process, so there is no advantage in applying early – but there would be a disadvantage in applying after the deadline as it is possible that some schools will already be full.

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Fact: Applications submitted after the deadline will not be processed until after all those submitted on time. There will be some delay before a place can be allocated and it is possible that some schools will already be full.

There are now just two weeks to apply for primary school places

Myth: If I only put one school preference my child will be more likely to get a place there/the council will have to offer my child a place there.

Fact: Listing only one preference means that, if the local authority cannot allocate a place at the school because you do not have enough priority according to the school's oversubscription criteria, you will be allocated the nearest school with a space available.

If you have not listed any other preferences, you might be allocated a school some distance away as other parents who did express additional preferences will take priority for the nearer schools.

This is why the local authority encourages parents to name more than one preference and strongly recommends listing your nearest school or schools among those preferences.

Myth: If I don't get a place at my preferred school, I will get a place at my nearest school anyway.

Fact: If the local authority cannot allocate a place at your preferred school because you do not have enough priority according to the school's over-subscription criteria, you will be allocated the nearest school with a space available.

If you have not listed any other preferences, you could be allocated a school some distance away from your home address as other parents who did express additional preferences will take priority for the nearer schools, even if those schools are designated or nearer to you.

For many parents trying to ensure their child has the best possible start in education it is a stressful time (Image: Press Association)

Myth: Having my child in the nursery/pre-school at my preferred school means I do not need to apply/I get more priority for a place in reception.

Fact: All reception places must be applied for, regardless of whether or not a child is attending the attached nursery/pre-school.

Schools are able to offer some priority to children with specific circumstances that are attending an attached nursery/pre-school in their over-subscription criteria but this does not guarantee a place if there are other children who rank higher in the criteria.

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Myth: One of my children already goes to the school so my other child will automatically get a place.

Fact: Each child's school place must be applied for and there is no automatic allocation based on having a sibling at the same school.

Many schools do offer some priority to siblings in their over-subscription criteria but this does not guarantee a place if there are other children who rank higher in the criteria.

If your child does have a sibling attending the school already, make sure you indicate this on your application form.

Myth: Living near to a school gives you more priority for a place there.

Fact: Many schools do offer some priority based on designated area or distance from the school in their over-subscription criteria but this does not guarantee a place if there are other children who rank higher in the criteria.

Just because someone living near to you was allocated a place last year, does not mean that you will also secure a place there.

Myth: One of my children receives transport free of charge, so my other child will also receive transport free of charge automatically.

Fact: Transport is allocated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the council's Home to School Transport Policy so there is no guarantee of transport free of charge to an additional child in a household.